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A Cumbrian health trust has ordered that pictures be removed from the walls of a Millom hospital for health and safety reasons.

Pieces of art which once decorated the dining room area of Millom Hospital have been removed as they do not meet with infection control standards.

Millom Hospital League of Friends, which raises money for the centre, has been asked to rehome the pictures, after a cleanliness inspection found they caused dust to gather.

A spokeswoman for Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Millom Hospital in Lapstone Road, said: “The trust has removed pictures which were hanging in the dining room of Millom Hospital because they did not comply with infection control standards.

“The matter was highlighted during a cleanliness inspection and other pictures throughout the hospital do comply with these standards.

“The pictures were not fixed to the wall and were in some cases canvas, making them very difficult to clean and they caused dust to gather.

“We have asked the League of Friends to meet with us to choose some pictures to be re-framed. Some of these pictures were painted by patients and also include photos of previous staff and members of the League of Friends which we feel will have a more meaningful, local flavour.”

Reg Heathcote, chairman of the Millom Hospital League of Friends, described the move as bizarre, and added: “We thought it was a strange request to remove the pictures from the hospital owing to dust.

“Some of the pictures have been there for many years and provide an insight into the hospital’s history. But we must accept what the NHS recommends.”

Several of the pictures carried dedications and have either been returned to relatives or donated to the Millom Discovery Centre to display.

But one picture – a floral crochet design – has left Mr Heathcote stumped. The dedication reads “In memory of John Bradley”.

If anyone recognises the description or is a relative of Mr Bradley they can call Mr Heathcote on 01229 773769.

Have your say

what about thanking the staff for all the hard work and care that they give instead of concentrating on DUST!! many families would be lost without the serivce they provide !!!

Posted by me on
22 February 2013 at 20:46

Furness General maternity ward in meltdown, Whitehaven hospitals higher than average death rates and the local Health Trust wastes its time and precious resourses implementing silly elf&safety rules, one could maybe just maybe understand if these pictures were on the wards but these were sited in the dining room where god forbid they also found cutlery/ tables/chairs/ and other furniture, have these items also beeen earmarked for removal, you know when a countries finished by the number of jobsworths it employs.